Be AbsentMinded
by FireWithinMidnight
Summary: Fourteen years ago, during that fateful night, it's not a lonely dwarf who finds the little Lloyd but a desian soldier. AU, What If...?, possible OoC
1. Chapter 1

_Good day everyone!_

_This is my first English "Tales of Symphonia" fanfiction! English isn't my main language so I asked for the help of a beta, but the one I had read only halfway the chapter before giving up ^^; So I'm sorry for any possible typo or plain wrong grammar._

_Attention, this fanfic contains __**AU**__, __**What If…?**__, (possibly) slight __**OoC **__and loads and loads of FCs, although I'd have liked to keep it at minimum or none, the reality is that I needed some glorified minions as there's no named character in the Desians' human ranches (outside of their Grand Cardinals)._

_Feel free to point out any mistake (characterization, plotholes, typos, everything!), I'll really appreciate it!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Tales of Symphonia and the characters which appeared in the game, and I do not earn any money from this story._

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><p>[D. Roy –reports-]<p>

- file#001

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><p><strong>-Year 1, Day 1-<strong>

_-Iselia Forest-_

The girl landed on the soil and smoothed her left ankle with a hiss. She rubbed her eyes and squeezed them as much as she could, but she didn't see anything more than a shapeless mass in the clearing in front of her.

She leaped forward and squatted among the bodies, sinking her fingers in the ground as mana gathered over the cliff.

The explosion lighted the valley as if it was day; the girl pressed a hand against her mouth at the sight of the bloodied goners scattered around her. Many of them were limbless or torn into pieces, which were linked to each other through a tread made of blood and spilled organs.

"… Mommy? Mommy?"

The girl forced a fit of puke back in her throat; the light coming from the sky weakened, and the shape of the various figures blended together. Nonetheless, one of them was slopping upward a greenish being, but kept on sliding on the ground at every attempt.

"Mommy? Mommy!"

The maiden approached the talking figure, casting aside the corpses and limbs with some kicks. A hand fell next to the child, who stiffened as the torn limb entered his view.

"Ah, so that kiddy boy was right!" the girl crouched next to the kid, who sniffed and looked at her with narrowed eyes. "C'on, don't make evil faces! Look, you're so dirty, you're not scaring anyone!"

The child cleaned his nose with both the sleeves of the shirt, and gave her the evil eye again. The girl sighed and removed her helmet; pink hair fell on her shoulders. "Would you really want to hurt such an innocent maiden like _me_?" her mouth opened in a smile from an ear to another, and she ruffled his hair. The kid didn't move nor changed his expression.

"What have you done to mom-!"

The girl slapped him across the face; the child dropped on the ground and breathed dust and blood, since mud covered his features.

"Let me work, inferior!" the girl stuck the tongue out at his direction, then jabbed her fingers in the skin of the humanoid creature's forehead, around the blue sphere; the greenish being winced as its talons opened and closed in fists without raising from the ground.

The kid spit the earth still in his mouth and clutched the girl's arm, "Not mommy, not mommy! Don't hurt her!" he cried out with lucid eyes. The girl gnashed at him and jerked the gem out, knocking the baby aside.

At the same time, the creature shuddered for the last time before slumping on the soil. The stone in the girl's fingers lost its brilliance and became so dark it was hardly visible in the night.

She frowned and pocketed the treasure, patting on the cloth.

" No, mommy! Mommy!"

" Oh, shut up!" the girl grabbed the child's blonde hair and pulled on it upward, forcing him to stand on his feet. Tears poured from his eyes, but he bit his lip as he gazed at the maiden with hatred.

She looked at him for a few seconds before bursting out laughing. "There's a brat who thinks himself bigger than he really is here! And what would you want to do, uh? You inferiors are all just a bunch of coward weaklings!"

She shook him back and forth, making him cry some more as his cheek turned violet. A small trickle of blood gushed from the lip, but the kid didn't open his mouth and still glared at her; the girl's smile widened as mana gathered around her other hand.

The maiden looked over her shoulder and widened her eyes; the energy around her fingers dissipated in the air at the same time ."Oh, damnit…!" she whispered and loosened her grip on the kid's hair. Immediately afterward, though, she grasped the child's nape and pressed him on her chest. "Just try to scream and you're dead, understood?"

The kid clung on the girl's outfit until his knuckles turned white. He gulped down the mucus accumulated at the bottom of his throat and tightened his grip, sudden winds lashing all around his fragile figure as the girl started running.

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><p><em>-Iselia Ranch, Main Entrance-<em>

The winds suddenly died as the maiden staked her feet on the soil without any forewarning; forming a small furrow formed behind her as she lost speed and ultimately stopped. The kid, instead, lost his grip on her outfit and was flung not too far away from her.

A soldier ran toward her, pulling the body of a companion of his in the mud; he spit on the kid, who covered his head with both his arms. The half-elf murmured curses toward the human race and turned to face the girl. "Lady Cadell, what happened?" other soldiers gathered around her, glancing at the human child now at her feet. "Are you hurt, do you want me to call a medic?"

Cadell pouted and shook vigorously her head and fists in the air; she then proceeded to pound her foot on the ground, ending up splattering everyone's boots with mud. The child shrieked as some sludge hit his eye. "No no no! Do I look hurt to you? I've got to speak _immediately_ with Lord Forcystus! Stop wasting my time and return to your duties!"

All the soldiers spurted on their feet at the girl's screams.

"Yessir, Lady Cadell!" they shouted and scattered through the area; some of them picked up the fallen ones while others came back to their guarding places next to the cliff.

Cadell sneered at them and grasped the kid's hair, "On your feet, inferior! Cows like you should know how to put one foot after the other at least!"

The kid stumbled on his feet, swallowing his sobs while he rubbed the sleeves against his face, even though the clothing was completely soave and brown. "I've told you to _walk_!" Cadell shoved him, making him bump against someone's legs and cry out.

"_This human…_"

The voice reached them as a hiss; the child didn't dare to raise his head to look at the man. "I suppose this is the reason for which you've abandoned the battle, miss …?" the man lightly tilted his head and smoothed his hair out backward, smearing them with blood.

All colour left Cadell's face, who stepped backward. The man patted his bloodied sleeves slightly, although these fell off his arms. He sighed, "I ask you to forgive me for my inappropriate attire."

A green aura focused on the bleeding cut, which ran across the man's bust. "Lord Kvar, please! Stay still until I've healed at least the most serious wounds!" said a healer who had just arrived with the Grand Cardinal. The kid scrambled backward at the mention of the man's name, but Cadell kicked him in the back. The man gestured to the healer to go away, but the subordinate aimed the staff at him and more wounds vanished.

"So, miss," the man smiled at Cadell, who was trembling from head to toe without being able to move anywhere. "Your name, please."

"L… L…" the girl coughed and caught her breath, "L-Lieutenant Cadell of the first division of the invasion forces, Lord K-Kvar!"

The girl retrieved the blue gem from her pocket and offered it to the man with both her arms stretched, all while keeping her head well down. "T-this is the exsphere recovered from the ho-host body A012, milord!"

The rock passed from her hands to those of the man before she had even finished talking. He raised the treasure in the air and flipped it among his fingers, dedicating his total attention to it. Cadell raised her head a little to peek at the Grand Cardinal's reaction, and he hit her on her nape with the staff, sending her unconscious on the ground.

"Oh, how could I forget _Braindead_ Cadell." the man pocketed the gem and tapped the staff on the lieutenant's head as his smile widened. "I _don't comprehend_ why you turned to me. After all, I was _really persuaded_ you had been transferred under Lord Forcystus's orders."

The healer bent on Cadell, but the man rammed the staff under that knee of her that wasn't touching the soil; the woman screamed and crouched completely on the land. "Whatever is the motive that lead you to face me, I wish to thank you _immensely_ for the Angelus Project. I imagine a _dog_ will be always faithful to its owner, it doesn't matter how much time has passed from the day it was given to another master."

The soldiers nearby kept their glances turned to any other direction but the one where the man was standing. The man kneeled in front of the child, and made him raise his head with a pair of fingers under his chin. The dark stain on the kid's trousers enlarged and went down the inner part of his right leg.

"You must be Lloyd."

Lloyd gulped down and didn't shift his eyes from the staff, as the man still had it in his hands and actually tightened his grasp on it. "_Lord_ Kratos and A012's offspring," Lloyd squeezed his eyes as soon as the man extended a hand on him, and felt the man's fingers ruffling his hair. "I'm really regretful you were born, _my little Lloyd._"

The child seized the man's hand and moved it away from his hair; at the same time, the healer sat down on the soil, swinging back and forth and hissing as she clutched her wounded knee.

The man frowned and turned toward the healer, "Ah, welcome back milady. Could you go to the infirmary to take some towels for this human pup? Its state is unpresentable." He slightly raised his open palm to show all the mud smearing it, since it got on him after ruffling the child's hair.

The healer glared at him and her mouth became a thin line, "Sergeant Virtue, head of the 14th squad of healers, _milord._" Virtue pointed at her companions, who were bent over the soldiers still breathing on the ground to heal them. "My role is to help my companions, not to act as your servant. These are Lord Forcystus's orders!"

The man rubbed the surface of the staff, but his smile came back almost immediately. "You're perfectly right, I'm sorry for having disrupted the natural cycle of your role, _miss_ Virtue."

The healer sprung on her feet grinding her teeth together, but she lowered the staff on Cadell's nape; it was soon engulfed in a white light, and the girl with pink hair immediately raised on her knees and coughed the blood left in her mouth.

"_Lord _Kvar," Virtue hissed slowly at him while watching the pink-haired Desian coming back to her senses. "You're not welcome here. Please, _go away_ and let us do our job."

He flicked her words away with a motion of his hand; the other patted Lloyd's back slightly, but the child only shuddered at such action. "We're operating according to a precise schedule, _Lloyd,_" the man sighed at the kid's lack of response and called a random soldier to assist him as he was already walking away. The newly arrived Desian picked the child up, grimacing at all the mud now tarnishing his clothes.

"_Well_," the man turned around once more at the Desian; he was already in front of the demolished gate of the ranch, while the other soldier was still way behind. "I have _no _intention to lose the rest of the night here. Follow _me_."

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><p><em>-Iselia Ranch, Infirmary-<em>

After they had crossed the destroyed internal courtyard – there were fallen pieces of the ranch's structure everywhere, as if a giant force had torn through the exterior part of the building; the man merely kicked the ones in his trail away, or cracked them with an unseen power-, they had been swiftly walking down an anonymous hallway. Many Desians –white-clothed or not- were running around them, some half-elves even pushing cots with fallen soldiers on them.

In the end, Lloyd had averted his gaze from all the wounds and blood, but he squirmed as the soldier had squeezed him further; during the motion, the toddler had tried to bury his head in the Desian's chest, and he probably hadn't liked it.

"W-what…" Lloyd's breath hitched again in his throat. "Ha-happened to mommy? Where's daddy?"

"Silence, inferior!" the soldier raised a hand; he then shuddered immediately under the annoyed glare the man gave him, so he lowered his hand without slapping the kid. Lloyd too shrank at the sight of those sharp eyes. They were black, showing thin red irises. Daddy always told him only monsters had those eyes.

"Please, I ask you to not damage in any way the human pup," the man smirked, slowly reaching a hand out to caress Lloyd's temple. "It's too important and impossible to replace, so I'd appreciate no harm is done to it, since I don't tolerate soldiers who don't follow my orders." The soldier jolted as electricity had stung him for a moment.

Lloyd sulked further in the Desian's outfit, although the man's hand didn't leave its place. "Your mother must be dead, while your father… I can only imagine Lord Yggdrasill is taking care of him."

The kid shook his head until the other removed those fingers of his from him. The soldier grumbled under his breath, but his behaviour didn't influence at all the apparent, happy mood of the man. "If I had the opportunity to see the world from your eyes, I wouldn't give myself such grief for the fate of that being. _Lord_ Kratos has always been Lord Yggdrasill's favourite, and I can state without _any doubt,_" the man gritted his teeth briefly, "That it won't be followed any protocol to execute a disciplinary measure for his behaviour. Except for how his precious _experiment_ will be never given back."

The child couldn't make out half of the words the man had said. In a way, it was like Daddy… Mommy would often butt in and ask his Daddy to use simpler words for the sake of the both of them. But here there was no Mommy to tell the man to stop using such big sentences.

The man opened wide the double door leading to the infirmary. The room was already filled with beds and people, some of them going around the wounded ones and making them swallow water or pills. There weren't actually many Desians speaking, since most of the noise consisted in the injured soldiers' grunts of pain.

However, the blue-clothed half-elf quickly treaded among the cots in the room, pushing them aside with the staff in case they were too near to him. One of the hurt patients even slipped off the sheets and fell flat on the floor, yet the man immediately stared furiously at the soldier when he tried to stop and help the fallen comrade.

Many healers at work gave the Grand Cardinal oblique looks as he continued on creating his way as they were giving all their mana and support to cure their companions. When yet another patient yelled out in pain for having been struck, one of the Desians stepped in front of the Grand Cardinal, blocking his way. "I'm sorry, Lord Kvar," he said, trying to maintain his cool under the other's annoyed glare, "But we have the priority to take care of the wounded and…"

"I have need of clean towels and of a prisoner outfit suitable for the human pup," the man interrupted the healer and tapped his staff on the floor, electricity flowing through the weapon.

"I don't-!"

"Towels. _Now._"

At this show, a nurse put the requested items on an empty cradle and pushed it next to the Grand Cardinal; the healer tried to scold her for it, but she pulled on the his shirt first. The Desian sighed and dropped his shoulders, "Please, milord, use one of the vacant rooms, we-"

"Have an urgent and really important job to carry out, obviously," the man walked beyond his interlocutor without deigning him of another glance; instead, he had already eyed the emptiest corridor. "Quick, efficient and loyal to the duty, good job! There're some vacant rooms in that direction, aren't there?"

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><p>The soldier spat one last curse toward the man as he closed the door behind and removed his gloves.<p>

The room was devoid of other occupants, just like that Desian had told them. It was big enough to contain three different cots and utensils for a crew of doctors, although neither were needed in that occasion. The scared toddler was put down on one of the beds, while the man was scanning the soldier's actions one after the other.

The Desian quickly rubbed one of the towel on Lloyd's face, lingering on the large bruise on his cheek on purpose as he pushed him against the sheets of the cot with his free hand. The kid squeaked in pain whereas his skin got red in no time.

"You see, _Lloyd_, what I've come to know, and which you've been cruelly left in the darkness to ignore, is how your delightful father is a really _despicable_ creature," the man's voice topped the child's protests against the rough treatment; now the soldier had flipped him on his belly and was scratching his hair with the same strength he had used before to rub the mud away from his face.

"He betrayed the trust of all his subordinates, who had nurtured a _blind_ faith in him. He was the symbol of how not all the humans are mindless beasts without reason. And _then_ he forcefully fecundated a host body of vital importance without analysing the dangers beforehand! And all this for these egoistic means."

"Daddy isn't an egoistic!" Lloyd squirmed again at the soldier popping the buttons out of his shirt. "No! Mommy did it for me!"

"However, it's just a useless piece of clothing dirtied by mud and counterproductive to clean by now," the man chuckled at the child squirming and tugging on his clothes to keep them in place, until the soldier yanked them apart and threw what was left of them on the floor. "I am firmly convinced that everyone would recognize _Lord_ Kratos as an egoistic being who conceived a son just so he could use him as cannon fodder."

Lloyd's protests were drown against the brown cloth pressed on his head and face as the soldier slid the prisoner's outfit on him. "My little Lloyd, you are _special._" The Desian put the collar around the child's neck and clicked it closed. "And I _feel sorrow_ about how you came into life just to feed _Lord_ Kratos' dystopia. Nonetheless, you won't have to endure anymore pain for the wants of that fiend."

Lloyd looked up from the cot, clutching at the sides of the plain uniform, and chocked on his own tears and sobbing. "I-it's not _t-t-true_!"

The soldier shivered, stepped aside and ultimately ran outside the room as the man ruffled the kid's hair another time. The blue-clothed half-elf didn't care about it in the slightest, and instead declared low: "Feel free to cry, as it has been tested that relieving one's feelings releases the mind and the body from the stress gathered…"

"D-dad and m-m-mommy will come to get me!" the child blew his nose on the dress, soiling it with mucus and saliva "Y-you're a liar! _I-I don't b-believe you_!"

He patted his head again "It's alright Lloyd, you'll grow to know it and how special you are sooner or later."

The man took one of the chairs in the room and put it next to him, sitting down after that without ever diverging his sight from the child or ceasing to smile. The toddler kept on crying and calling out for his parents for a few more minutes, until just some erratic sobbing was left; Lloyd rubbed his now red eyes and yawned in the soaked sleeves.

The door flung open.

"Here you are!" the newcomer re-adjusted the coat on his shoulders, but some torn pieces of it fell down nonetheless and joined a trail of ripped clothing that had formed behind him. He pushed some white locks away from his eyes. "Lord Kvar, our unit is looking for you."

The man didn't turn around: he was completely concentrated on the child before him, who just squatted on the cot and was barely keeping his eyes open. "Shall I guess Forcystus too?" he then asked.

"And Lord F… For… Yeah, the local Grand Cardinal too." The newcomer pressed the hat on his head, grimacing at the fallen feathers. He threw both the hat and the coat on the floor, then re-adjusted the scabbard on his belt. "He ordered me to report he has got a room fixed up just for you where you can stay for the rest of the night all calm and nice. All calm and nice."

The man sighed; the child had bitten a sheet, but nonetheless he was lying down in a foetal position and with eyes closed, breathing slowly. The newcomer walked around the cot. "Is he… Human?"

"He's Kratos and A012's offspring." The man answered, rolling his eyes at the obvious question.

The subordinate blinked confused, scratching his left temple "The offspring of _who_?"

"…" the man clasped the staff with more strength whereas his mouth bent down in disgust. "_Lord_ _Aurion_ and A012's offspring. That woman who turned into an Exebula on the cliff. _The seraphim whose shoulder you stabbed minutes ago_."

"Ah! Oh, yeah… That guy."

The man pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned. "…This human pup is now part of the Angelus project. Bring it to my room, Aaron. If I was to leave it around those thickheads, they would believe it to be a normal prisoner."

"Got it!" Aaron gently picked up Lloyd without waking him up; the little one immediately curled up against his chest and clasped the shirt under the armour with his little fingers, resting his head in the crook of his arm.

The man raised an eyebrow at this, but nonetheless continued, "Moreover, Aaron, if they…"

"…Ask you what you're doing with an inferior in your arms, _it's a highly classified information._" Aaron recited as he swung the kid back and forth. The man scowled further at such sight. "What is it, milord? Do you find it weird for a father to rock a toddler?"

The Grand Cardinal looked longingly at the slightly open door, and then back at the other human. "…Whatever. We shall wait for my soldiers to recover enough to be transferred back at the ranch. Understood?"

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><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, Mana Laboratory-<em>

Lloyd yawned and rubbed his head against the pillow. He inspired deeply, but the smell made his nose itch. He turned around and found some sheets covering his view, and they had the same smell of the pillow. He stuck his tongue out and pocked his head from under the obstacle.

A woman walked over the cot; everything he could see were her thin pointy ears sticking out of her dark green hair. Her eyes were completely covered by the hair, and the rest of the dark outfit meshed with the background –except for her incredibly white arms. She hovered a hand over the toddler's head, asking, "Little bird, are you awake?"

Lloyd shrank under her light touch and shrieked -the woman retracted her hand straight away, bringing her limb to her chest, her bottom lip quivering slightly.

A male voice, coming from the other side of the room, shouted at the woman: "Don't think about it, Cantabile! He's just three, he's got loads of time to get used to it!" Cantabile's visible expression relaxed slightly. However, her posture remained as stiff as it was before, her shoulders and back kept rigidly upward.

Lloyd curled up and tugged the covers all over himself, trying to shield his little body from the woman, the possessor of the other voice, the metallic taste of the air around him, and from that ominous panel lowered over him. It was so big and completely black, like it could come into life at _any moment _and swallow him whole-

"…You're _kidding_, aren't you?" the owner of the voice cried out; poking a little from under the sheets, the child could see another pointy-haired guy sitting in front of a glowing screen, his arms still in the air as if he had tried to throw something away. "Cantabile, run that analysis again! This is impossible!" he ordered while getting back to the keyboard, panic and disbelief in his voice.

The woman slowly moved her hand above the bundle of sheets without really touching it. She slowly shook her head and said quietly, no real emotion etched to her words: "…It's not necessary. There's no mistake, as I've already said."

The male half-elf slumped on the chair; he tugged on his hair and slapped his forehead, before proceeding to bang his head on the keyboard, just for a good measure. He murmured something as well as he brushed the newly-born bump on his face.

"…Cantabile, no one should –no, no one mustget to know about these results." He clicked one of the floating screens around him, and it disappeared into thin air. "Specially _not_ Kvar! Help me to rewrite all this… Thing! Before the others put Mobius online again!"

The Desian walked away from the cot; Lloyd finally released the breath he had been holding in, already feeling more safe with those weird and unknown strangers around him. If his father had been around-

His eyes filled with tears again; he chewed on his lip, hiccupping.

"Mom… Daddy…"

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><p>- file#001 …end<p>

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><p><em>EDIT: I've finally went over this chapter to correct any mistake I could find. And holy shit, how the hell did I miss all those mistakes? <em>

_I've also partially re-written/erased some parts, so I hope it flows better and more clearly now.__ I'll proceed to correct/edit the second chapter ASAP._

_I hope you enjoyed the reading. If you didn't, I'm sorry I've wasted your time._


	2. Chapter 2

_I've always had a problem with second chapters; I'm able to go through a first chapter without __many problems, and I usually have a bit of story planned afterward, but when it comes to write it…_

_**oursolemnhour49: **__Thank you very much for the review! I've corrected the part about the trail (at least, I did correct it in the document but I'm still looking how works, so yeah…),, but I haven't really gone over the chapter again to take care of the mistakes for now. _

_I did notice the part about description –and yeah, when I read it as a reader and not as the writer, the setting of the scene was vague at best x_x I've tried to take care of it in this chapter, but if it didn't change much tell me!_

_I'll look for another beta as soon as possible, I hope you'll keep on reading!_

_If anyone's interested, I've been trying to upload as many references as possible of various FCs appearing in this story here - http:/ las-sketch-account. / gallery/ 30809351 just r__emove the spaces. Although they're actually set 14 years after, when Lloyd's already 17 years old. And not all of them will appear anyway._

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Tales of Symphonia and the characters which appeared in the game, and I do not earn any money from this story._

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><p>[D. Roy –reports-]<p>

- file#002

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><p><strong>-<strong>**Year 1, Day 2-**

_-Asgard Ranch, Prisons-_

Lloyd raised his hand toward one of the four guards surrounding his cell, but the fingers brushed against a cold surface of glass; he shuddered, but then he placed his other hand on the glass as well and stared at the faint reflection of his face, which looked like it was hardly forcing down fresh tears.

Both the back of his hands sported a strap with a wheel mounted on its top; they fit his limbs perfectly despite how large they looked like when the girl with the covered eyes put them on, but they tightened once the wheel had been turned various times. If he frowned and focused on them, he could see a dim black aura.

He rapped on the glass, but none of the four guards turned to the sound, just like they ignored him before. He sat back on the sheets sheepishly and squeezing his eyes at the neon light still on in the immense hallway; those pointy-eared scientists had called for some soldiers to bring him away from the laboratory, and they had forced him to walk without any protection through so many passages he had wanted to cry, both out of fear and for the pain crawling in his feet. But then they had slapped him for it, so he just had kept everything for himself even as he looked inside the cells in that hallway, disfigured faces and bodies lying down where possible, often piling on other inmates, weakly breathing.

Thankfully, he was completely alone in his cell, but they had forced him into that small glass cage, which was lifted from the floor. It didn't bother him that much, as the rest of the room was devoid of furniture and grey, just like the hall outside and the other cells. Now those soldiers were standing in front of the only entrance of the cell, blocking it.

"…Why can't we just gas it to sleep?" Lloyd looked up with his huge eyes at the guard; even though his voice was just a mutter, he picked it up without problems "This sucks"

The woman next to him jabbed her elbow in his side "Go complain to Lord Rak'Sai" the soldier immediately rubbed the hurt spot "He specifically told us to not gas it to sleep or anything else. If it sleeps, it sleeps, or else… Who cares"

"It's part of a project of Lord Kvar, idiot" another guard waved his whip around like he itched to unwind it and hit someone "We make sure it doesn't escape like that other host body the last time, and we live to see another day"

"…I'm still bored" he placed his hands behind the head, stretching his back "It was my time off! And instead, here I am. Tell me if it doesn't suck"

"Like you're the only one suffering from it, you idiot" the woman shrugged and poked the only guard who remained silent, who proceeded to snore loudly at her touch "Richard's already out cold".

Lloyd tilted his head at the guards' conversation and got up on his bare feet, but bumped against the top of the container; he curled up immediately afterward, clutching his head tightly and sobbing.

"Oh hell, it probably just got dumber from that" the woman repressed her laughter in her fist as the other awake guard snickered and looked away "One hundred galds it does it again"

"Make it two hundred and I may consider that bet"

The child placed his fingers on the glass again as he sniffed for the last time; he leaned the forehead against the cold surface as well as he took in all the air he could stuff in his lungs.

"You're already gonna lose by the look of it!" the woman removed one of her gloves and stared at her nails "I should stop chewing them…"

At the same time, four differently coloured auras –blue, red, brown and white- enveloped the guards, whom trembled for a second. An iced coat fell on Lloyd's tiny body and exhaustion shot through his veins as the auras dimmed and faded before his eyes; the whole place spun around as his head throbbed painfully and his knees gave in, forcing him down on the cot.

"…What was that, dude?" Richard yawned without covering his mouth, at which the soldier next to him flicked the air away from his nose "I-if you wanted me to wake up, you could have just shook me…"

The woman shrugged "We didn't do anything! I felt it as well"

At that, the guards froze for a moment and then looked at the human child, who was rolled up on the sheets and panting rapidly as sweat rolled down his livid face. One desian raised his hands in the air.

"Ehi, don't look at me! I haven't gassed him at all!"

"But then…"

The guards merely looked at each other in shock "Did…" another guard tapped the glass with the hilt of his dagger "Did this inferior just try to perceive our mana?"

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, Lord Kvar's office-<em>

On the other side of the ranch, the Grand Cardinal leaned against one of the columns in a circular room, casually glancing at the beeping light on one of the keyboard of the computer, which covered the entire wall of the hall. He wasn't too far from the small projector installed on the ground, ready to pick up any incoming message within seconds. The bigger one, placed right in the middle of the hall, wasn't programmed for that.

Kvar's expression twisted in pain as he slid the gloves back on, his frail skin cracking against the fabric; the effects of the refresher and the healers' magic had worn off faster than he expected. He picked up the worn bandages from the floor and rolled them up as if they were new. There wasn't any other roll on the keyboard or inside the drawers, and the beeping light kept him from walking out or asking for the assistance of a low ranked desian to get new bands, despite them being useless for his case.

Metal rings clacked against each other as the door disappeared in the wall, covering the soft steps of a lady, whom was approaching the Grand Cardinal. She looked at the half-elf with worried eyes as she brought her staff with the metallic rings closer to her chest.

"Lord Kvar, please" she rubbed the surface of her weapon and averted her eyes to the floating screen, which was displaying the "No New Messages" sign "It has been a long night for everyone, specially for you. So please… Get some rest, milord…"

Kvar shook his head and placed the roll next to the projector "Mobius hasn't been re-installed online yet, and I _personally _requested to speak with Lord Yggdrasill. This night isn't over until the report has gone completely through"

"It won't do anything good if you exhaust yourself!" the Grand Cardinal folded his arms and looked away, annoyed "Lord Kvar, it just tears me inside to see you pushing yourself this much…"

"…I'm grateful for your concern, but everything is fine. It could have been worse than this, after all. _Lord _Kratos's kid and the Angelus Project are both in my hands, and not in some monster's belly" He paused a little "Unless something _utterly _inconceivable happened, like a random dwarf leaving his underground home and randomly stumbling over an Exbula and a human pup"

The lady blinked at the Grand Cardinal as if he was crazy "…That is… Impossible"

The projector suddenly turned on as its humming increased at the same time of the device's neon lights, and the signal came to life as the buzzing sounds and static faded away, showing the figure of a female half-elf.

"Good morning to you too, Kvar" the woman smirked and moved her green hair away from her eyelids, covered under mascara "Is it really the time to wake up a lady like me at these hours, anyway? I thought such a refined person like you knew it!"

Both the Grand Cardinal and the lady bowed their heads slightly; the woman in the projector tilted her head to the other person, her glance alternating between the elf's features and Kvar's "And what is she doing here? What's her rank?"

The elf straightened her back completely "General Shiraska, leader of the Magic forces and research" she raised her staff as well "It's an honour to meet you, Lady Pronyma"

Pronyma snapped her fingers "I've never seen so many elves working in a Desian base, Kvar. How do you do it?"

The Cardinal grumbled under his breath "General Shiraska, please" he pointed at the door, making the elf sigh out of worry "I'd like you to leave the both of us alone. It's a private conversation between Grand Cardinals"

"Of course, milord" Shiraska bowed again, but the difference between this bow and the previous one was visible. Pronyma spat a curse toward the elf, but this one didn't look at her again as she made her way out of the view of the projector: instead of stepping out of the room, the elf simply leaned against a wall, her eyes fixed on Kvar.

"Enough of this, Kvar!" the green-haired half-elf cut the air in front of her with a mace "So, Lord Yggdrasill told me what happened at Forcystus's ranch. Well, congratulations for retrieving Lord Kratos!"

The Grand Cardinal had his jaw set as blood flowed faster through him in anger "…And that's all, Lady Pronyma? Do you believe I-"

"There isn't anything else to say!" the woman put her free hand on her hip, smacking her lips together "You've done your job, you've done it well, that's it. Lord Yggdrasill has nothing to tell you"

The computer's humming slowly filled the room; Pronyma looked everywhere but in his direction as she picked on her fingers, and even Kvar had lowered his eyes over the keyboard, munching on something.

"So- oh, right" the green-haired half-elf clapped her hands together and smiled pleasantly "There _is _one thing missing from the report we received. What happened to the Angelus Project?"

The Grand Cardinal didn't bother to raise his head, his expression partially hidden from Pronyma's sight "…Lost"

"Uhmmm"

"I sent a captain to retrieve the project, but everything she could find were bodies" the staff in his hands was now trembling and sparkling with electricity as he grinded his teeth together "A012 was dead, while the offspring had to be taken down in this ranch. Forcystus's search squads are reconnoitring the forest as we're discussing, but the outcome of my predictions isn't positive"

Pronyma raised an eyebrow at the last part of the sentence "Oh, yeah, your predictions, alright" she then scratched the back of her neck "So, no Angelus Project, but at least the host body and son cannot falter Lord Kratos's loyalty anymore. Why did you have the child taken down?"

"Lady Pronyma, upon being given an exsphere, the human pup's mana somehow reacted and it mutated into an Exbula, which had to be killed"

She waved her finger toward him, shaking her head with eyes closed "Tsk, tsk, tsk, Kvar. So it seems your scientists can't even handle a single special inferior!" she sighed theatrically, and the other Grand Cardinal had to keep his breathing somewhere around normal, his fingers twitching at the tempting idea of strangling Pronyma at the first occasion "Lord Yggdrasill isn't going to give you another recipient! You've already lost one and failed to retrieve it in _four years_"

Kvar simply shrugged, now looking uninterested "I had no urge in making such request, but nonetheless, thank you for the warning. At this point, I shall focus my forces on the production of expsheres" the green-haired half-elf giggled, and even the Grand Cardinal let a smile form on his face "If there is anything I'm not supposed to damage, please send me a message before noon tomorrow"

"I will, but I doubt there isn't anything Lord Yggdrasill doesn't wish for you to not destroy down there" Pronyma lifted the mace to her face and passed a finger on the sharp line of the steel "Did you know a group of humans is forming a new religion, which is against the Church of Martel?"

"Oh, idle chatting, Lady Pronyma?" it was Kvar's time to snicker, although he covered that behind his fist.

The green-haired half-elf pouted, her cheeks turning a faint shade of red "It's for your information, too! As servants of Cruxis, we have to-"

"-Serve Martel and prevent harm to be done to the Goddess"

"Don't be a smartass!"

"A smartass? Lady Pronyma, may I interest you in the use of a vocabulary? There's no need to worry about the price, I've got a few extras on my own for these cases"

Pronyma ultimately groaned and slouched her shoulders forward; she puffed some locks of hair away from her livid face "Dear me, I need a bath" she straightened bust and mace again, inspiring deeply "The original core of the new religion is in Palmacosta; given how the biggest church of Sylvarant is in said city, the inferiors must be growing more and more desperate after 600 years of failed Regenerations" she reached to pick something out of the projector's range, and papers appeared in her hands "According to the data, a pilgrimage formed in name of these new beliefs just passed the Hakonesia Peak" she put the papers down and touched something in front of her, and a bar of the computer glowed red as a bit of green appeared at one of the extremities.

Kvar closed his hand in a fist, but hissed vaguely as the skin crackled again against the glove "Now that you brought it to mind, I haven't examined the present situation over Asgard for quite some time" he smiled, his lips forming a thin line "Or is it on Lord Yggdrasill's "Do Not Touch" catalogue?"

Pronyma raised her shoulders and shrugged; she smirked with delight in her eyes "Beats me"

Both of them eyed the bar below the projection as it became fully green, making an alarm from the system ring in the air; a small screen appeared next to the projection, this time bearing the message "Data Transfer Complete". The Grand Cardinal dragged the message across the screen, making it stretch and bend, until it hit the border of the panel and spurted out of it; a few more screens, smaller than the original one, spun around until they slowed down and stopped, displaying walls of text scrolling down continuously.

"Thank you for the information, Lady Pronyma" a stream of electricity passed over all the screens but the projection, closing them down "I'll take measures for this _new religion_, as long as its presence is within my jurisdiction. I _fear_ Magnius would mind to see me working on the cult resident in his territory"

"Then this best be it, Kvar" she brought her right clenched fist over her heart "Glory to the incoming Age of the Half-Elves!"

The Grand Cardinal mimicked her movements, but his eyes were locked on a far sight behind Pronyma "…Glory to the incoming Age of the Half-Elves"

The projection waved and disappeared in a buzz; Kvar grumbled irritated and snapped his fingers, shutting the computer down as mana stopped flowing through it. Outside, the sound of an incoming tempest could be heard.

"…That was such a weak excuse" he said to no one in particular.

The general was then at his side. Her hand was on the half-elf's shoulder as if to comfort him "Lord Kvar… Let me help you-"

The Grand Cardinal gripped the elf's staff and lowered it gently "If you really want to help me, Shiraska, then tell your subordinates to keep the knowledge of that human pup's life for themselves" he picked up the worn roll of bandages off the desk and pushed it firmly in Shiraska's open hand "It's officially dead outside of this base, understood? If you excuse me, I need my rest now"

Shiraska let him go, restraining herself from stopping the half-elf or reaching out for him while he left the room.

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, Prisons-<em>

A loud whistle ringed suddenly throughout the entire hallway, shaking the prisoners out of their sleep. Lloyd winced and instinctively pressed his hands on the ears, but the signal cut through such protection and painfully pierced his eardrums nonetheless.

"Up, inferiors!" desians rattled the bars of the cells by running their weapons along them almost all at the same time; the child dived under the sheets in the small cage, trembling both at the noise and the pain shooting through his head "Up, UP!" different whips cracked in the air as feeble screams were barely audible.

Next, Lloyd's blanket was removed and he curled up on the spot, keeping his eyes firmly shut as shivers ran down his spine at the soldiers looming over him. The whistle finally died down, although the yells of the prisoners and of the soldiers still filled the chilly air.

"You know, it's _almost _cute" the female soldier chuckled at the statement; the other two guards just raised an eyebrow while stepping backward "Oh, what the hell are you thinking!" Lloyd squirmed as the desian pulled on his hair and forced him off the cot; he slipped once set on the floor and fell face flat, bumping his head in the process "Can it even walk or _what_?"

The child swallowed the burn slowly constricting his throat and raised on his feet again, keeping his glance firmly on the metal, cold ground and his shoeless feet. Other prisoners were walking past him, dragging their scratched legs and mumbling something unintelligible, their dead eyes set on no particular sight as the soldiers behind pushed them by cracking their whips around them.

Then he saw himself among them, bleeding, mindlessly whispering, and only wishing to be dead once and for all.

Lloyd screamed at the top of his lungs, rolling up on the floor, images of his mama and papa being attacked by desians, being divided from each other, his papa disappearing in the dust-filled air, his mama being pulled away as a hand reached for the sphere in her chest, his mama yelling in pain and turning all green and growing and her face sinking in her skin, flashing in his mind…

_Mama! Mama! Daddy… Where's daddy… Mama… Come back! Mommy, daddy!_

Strong hands caught his shoulders and lifted Lloyd back on his feet again, a whip lashing a few inches away from his face "…Up! I said _get up_, you goddamn inferior!" the desian hissed at his ear, other soldiers around flailing the curled up prisoners as well; they were rocking on the floor and shaking.

A fit of vomit rushed up Lloyd's throat just at the sickening noises of skin and flesh being torn apart. He doubled over again, emptying his stomach on the ground.

"Gah!" the desian girl hopped backward, staring at her legs "It nearly puked on my boots!" she pulled out a club and aimed for Lloyd's head, but another guard grabbed her first and twisted her arm behind the back, making her hiss and drop the weapon "We're not to harm it seriously! Lord Rak'Sai needs it in one single piece!"

The woman mumbled a quick "I know, I know!" after the guard let her go, massaging her hurt limb and retrieving the club. Lloyd rubbed his mouth all over the sleeves of the outfit, still smelling the stench of the puke on him and the foul scent of the prisoners, whom had risen on their feet again to march toward the doom reserved for them. It made him gag again, but this time he kept the weight buried in his throat in its place.

"C'mon now" the girl poked his cheek with the club, where the livid was evident "Walk, or I'll have to drag you along and you _won't _like it!"

They were almost the last people left in the hallway: not far from him, another guard was dragging another kid away, whom was trashing around and screaming as his eyes seemed to pop out of his skull. Half of his body was puckered, and his right hand was visibly bigger than the other, a red gem shining on top of it. Further away, a desian had paled at such sight, and then he fainted as soon as they got near him.

The four guards, instead, were leading him in the opposite direction of the other kid; hiccupping, Lloyd rushed on his feet, ignoring how sore his limbs were, but all the voices of the inmates refused to leave his ears.

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, Mana Laboratory-<em>

The guards suddenly stopped, grabbing Lloyd and yanking him backward as he kept on walking after them. He looked around confused, as there wasn't anything in the corridor aside from the tubes running little below the ceiling, although the place did seem familiar.

The female desian passed a hand over a panel; it turned around, revealing a touchpad. Creaks popped up from the floor, climbed on the wall and then combined together, forming a door with red lights on. The girl leaned forward the touchpad and the lights turned green, the door now opening up.

Immediately, a half-elf grabbed Lloyd's arm and pulled him inside, waving at the stunned guards before shutting the door with a simple movement of his hand. The child blinked at the person, whom was now patting on his back and gesturing at the inside of the laboratory with a big grin plastered on his face; the other desians inside, mostly wearing white robes and clothing, suddenly looked very interested in the crinkles of the machines, which were filling the room and left little space to move in, or on the papers covering the whole ground, except one.

The only elf in the room, Cantabile, had just put down a blue exsphere on a thin pedestal on the other side of the laboratory, far from Lloyd; various rings lifted automatically from the ground, floating around the gem as runes appeared on the outer sides of the discs.

"Mommy!" Lloyd jerked his arm out of the half-elf's weak grip, but before he could dash away he slid over a pack of documents abandoned on the floor. A black circle appeared right below him as dark hands popped out the floor and seized him limb by limb, leaving him unable to make the smallest movement.

The child squirmed, struggling against the appendages as they fused and became one single entity, keeping him still "Let me go! That gem belongs to mommy! Mommy needs it!"

One of the devices beeped as some scientists placed the cot from the day before below a screen hanging from the ceiling; two spheres raised from the floor as well, floating around the cot "Milord, the mana scanner is ready" one of the desians said, approaching the half-elf, the one keeping Lloyd prisoner with his magic, with a folder full of documents in his hand. The half-elf looked at him dumbstruck "Oh, don't worry, me and Cantabile already ran a mana scanning! Just start the second step; we haven't tested the inferior's mana storage capability yet!" he said and slipped the papers off the desian's grip, sheepishly smiling.

The scientist mumbled something about bastards purposefully forgetting to inform the rest of the group, but the half-elf ignored him as he kneeled next to Lloyd, whom was still immobilized and snarling at him "Good morning to you too, little inferior! Nice to see you awake now, unlike yesterday…" he flipped through the documents, silently reading them "Your name's Lloyd, yes?" he glanced at the papers another time, smirked and threw them behind him. No one moved to pick them up and arrange them again "Your designation number is K025, inferior. Don't worry, we won't give you the chance to forget it. You'll more probably forget your name!"

He grabbed the black coat off the nearest chair, put it on and puffed his chest out proudly "_My _name's Rak'Sai, _Lord _Rak'Sai for you" he then turned around, pointing at Cantabile, then at another scientist, and another one, and so on "And you, and you, and you, and you…" until he finally run out of people to point at in the room; someone face palmed.

Lloyd's eyes hardened, growling softly at the half-elf as he didn't even notice his attempts at scaring him.

"What's that long face?" Rak'Sai happily pointed at a windowless wall, which sported glowing green and blue tubes. They were unconnected between each other and contained deformed figures inside. Lloyd could swear one of them twitched "The weather seems lovely today! Our Lord is either in a great mood or sleeping!"

"You're bad guys!" Lloyd shouted angry, remembering all the other prisoners. Their empty eyes as they tried to sleep or stand up "The persons, you… You bad guys!"

Rak'Sai raised both his eyebrows, then he started laughing so much he clung his stomach and doubled over "That's… What you're worrying about?" he drew another breath in, then snickered some more at Lloyd's blank face "Oh, don't worry inferior, you're pretty lucky! Lord Kvar doesn't want to make a host body out of you. You should feel honoured! Those who catch his interest usually end up fried. You must be _special_!"

…_It's alright Lloyd, you'll grow to know it and how special you are__, sooner or later…_

The child's eyes widened, shrugging his head left and right as the black mantle restrained his movements. But that _man _was nowhere to be found despite how close he had heard his voice. It was the same man who had charged at his daddy and mommy, who had looked at them completely disgusted, and yet he hadn't done anything to him but talk and smile, calling him _special_…

"Maybe, if I don't screw this up, Lord Kvar will let me keep a kitten" Rak'Sai's voice jolted Lloyd out of his memories "The last one, well,_ caught his interest_" Rak'Sai clapped his hands, rubbing them together slowly as he made weird sounds with his mouth, his cheek bulging a little due to the air contained in them and used for the noises. He then took a long look at the limbs "Ok, not like this. But you get the idea!"

Then Cantabile tugged on his coat and leaned toward him "_Lord Rak'Sai…_" she hissed in his ear, pulling and twisting it with the other hand "_The analyser is ready_"

"Ouch! Ok, ok, sheesh" he waved at her to let him go, then cleared his throat loudly "Put K025 on the analyser, or this will take the whole day"

The black mantle dissolved, but two half-elves grabbed and raised Lloyd in the air before he could have lunged forward again for the exsphere. He screamed and frantically kicked the air, hitting a third desian who had arrived to grab his legs straight in her face. She clutched her nose as she whispered something under her breath; yellow strands appeared out of nowhere and wrapped around the child's legs.

"Let me go, let me go, let me go!" Lloyd jerked against the restrains, but nonetheless, the two desians put him down on a blue disk, which lighted up for a moment as the child touched it. The yellow strings suddenly flashed and vanished, and he stopped on the spot to look worried at another disk, identical to the one he had been placed on, being lowered over him until his hair brushed against it.

"Kids nowadays, that's why I don't want to have children!" Rak'Sai mumbled to Cantabile, whom just smiled back, her expression too wide to be sincere. The half-elf shuddered and looked away "So, let's start!" almost every scientist nodded at Rak'Sai's enthusiastic voice, turning the equipment on.

The disk below Lloyd came to life, mana pumping into interlaced tiny tubes, making them glow and form an intricate white pattern on the surface of the device. The child shivered violently, panic swelling inside as he jumped forward; he bumped against a barrier, which sparkled for an instant before turning invisible again.

Then mana erupted from the disk, engulfing Lloyd completely as his whole body went numb.

* * *

><p>- file#002 …end<p>

[…]

[…]

[…]

-disconnected-

* * *

><p><em>I've lost the count of how many times I've re-written this chapter. I blame my brother for it! <em>_…Although his help has been incredibly precious so far._

_Thank you all for reading!_


	3. Chapter 3

…_This took __**forever **__to write. Baaaw._

_Since I've seen a certain event happen some time ago on this same section, I think I should spill it out now: this story and I owe a great deal to "__**The Good Aurion**__", by __**emif**__. Hell, if you've read my notes previously you already know the fanfic started with Forcystus being in Kvar's place. I still re-read that fanfiction when I believe I need to renew my enthusiasm when it comes to writing._

_**oursolemnhour49:**__ don't be worried/sorry for being so nitpicky in your reviews, I really appreciate your help PX I hope I've been really taking care of the mistakes you pointed out so far, and not that I just imagined I did it._

_I hope this story won't let your expectations down!_

_**Firehedgehog: **__well, there you go, here's a new chapter!_

_**Disclaimer: **__I do not own Tales of Symphonia and the characters which appeared in the game, and I do not earn any money from this story._

* * *

><p>[D. Roy –reports-]<p>

- file#003

[…]

[…]

[…]

-connected-

* * *

><p><strong>-<strong>**Year 1, Day 2-**

_-Iselia Ranch, Lord Forcystus's office-_

Cadell was fidgeting around with her thumbs, not daring to raise her sight to meet Forcystus's inquiring eye. Still, she was trembling under his presence, which was impossible to ignore.

"Absolutely _no _results…" the Grand Cardinal tapped on the screen floating over his desk, checking one profile after the other "…Lieutenant Cadell, right?"

The pink-haired girl nodded, staring at the walls around her "Y-y-yes, Lord Forcystus" she took a step backward as the Grand Cardinal clenched his free hand tight "M-m-my squad and me checked the w-whole forest, but there was n-no trace of this… A-Angelus Project"

Forcystus sighed, his expression softening. He pressed a button on the small projector, and the screen disappeared "There's no need to cower yourself. Raise your head and stop looking like a miserable inferior"

Cadell shuddered violently at these words. She made to open her mouth, but then quietly stepped backward until her back touched the door of the office. "With your permission, milord…" she hold her breath as Forcystus simply sit down without answering her; the door opened behind her and she fell through it with a yell.

"Ouch!" she landed messily on her back. Thankfully, the door had closed before she could complete her fall, although the Grand Cardinal could have easily heard the slam. Cadell pulled on her own pigtails "Idiot idiot idiot! Damnit all! Lord Forcystus isn't…"

"_Oh my, Cadell. I'm glad to __witness you're still eager to serve me" Kvar snickered above her, tapping that staff of his on her head "Shall I believe you'll answer my following order as well, mh?"_

_The Desian curled her hands into fists; she was standing on all fours like the dog she had been compared to little time before "Y-y-yes, milord…" the tip of the weapon pressed harder against her hair, and electricity suddenly flowed through her "Y-yes milord, I will! Please!"_

"_Keep your head down, you idiot" he reprimanded, and got another chocked answer out of the girl. The entire hallway was desert except for the two of them, and the security cameras were out as well… "I'm sure your puny brain is able to understand this order: don't tell anyone about the Angelus Project you retrieved. Understood?"_

_If the staff hadn't been pushing her head down, she would have nodded immediately. "O-of course, Lord Kvar" however, the weapon didn't leave its place. She started trembling even more "P-please, milord… I will! I will! Just-!"_

"_Not even Forcystus, or Pronyma, or anyone else. It's only between you and me" the cold tip slid down her nape, the Desian lieutenant trying to stay stiff "If the information leaks, I __**will**__ know it. You don't want to go through that again, am I right?"_

_Cadell's voice was wrecked with sobs and snot "N-n-no, ah- y-yes, Lord K-Kvar, right!" the staff hovered on the old scar on the back of her neck, at which she breathed in sharply "No one, no one, I'll bring it in my grave!"_

_And then he was gone; just the distant clacking of his staff against the floor was there to prove what happened wasn't an illusion._

Cadell slammed her fist on the floor. She had the perfect occasion, and yet…!

"... Lord Forcystus isn't like Lord Kvar, Lord Forcystus isn't like Lord Kvar, _Lord Forcystus isn't like Lord Kvar…_" she mumbled obsessively as a chant, submissively shaking her head.

She stopped and weakly rose up again just when the first call rang in the air; if someone held her dearly, the inferiors out there weren't going to make a fuss and her shift wasn't going to make her day worse.

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, <em>_Mana Laboratory-_

It was so cold.

Lloyd tried to clench his fingers. He was shivering all over; if he opened his eyes, all he could see was a thick layer of white substance swirling around and tingling his face. He curled his hands again, but he couldn't feel the motion itself. It was completely detached from his senses.

He shifted around, yet nothing in his view changed. However, as he blinked some more, he could feel new energy shooting through him. The exhaustion and fear from the past hours were gone: he wasn't shaking because of the coldness, he was shaking because his body was bursting with force and wanted to use it as soon as possible. It was almost exhilarating.

"Subject K025 is currently showing superior mana storage capability than a normal human" the voice was masked and feeble after coming through the thick mist "Shall we increase the mana flow, milord?"

The answer was overly-enthusiastic "Why, yes! K025 should be able to take in _way_ more than this!"

The mana around Lloyd condensed further; it was no longer swirling like water, but forcefully pressing itself against him as a sole piece of wall. It was filling his ears, eyes and mouth; it was flattening him on the disk. But he _needed _to move, he _needed _to rise and run and climb trees and throw tomatoes at his father, he-

Lloyd cried out in pain as his heart pumped even _faster_ due to the excessive mana entering him. It was in his _throat_, on his _ears_, _smashing_ against his _chest_. His _skin_ wasn't prickling anymore, it was _boiling_ under the pressure of the energy. It was going to tear up and explode, like his heart, his blood, and then there would be nothing left of him.

They had lied, they had lied and were hurting him and he would have never seen his daddy and mommy ever again and he screamed because he couldn't take it anymore it was too too much _please stop it please please pleasepleasepleaseplease…_

"Lord Rak'Sai, _what were you thinking?_"

Lloyd breathed in again. His organs no longer felt as if they were trying to rip out of his body at any given second. When he tentatively opened his eyes again, though, the dense mana around him hadn't fade at all; yet, his limbs were finally lighter. He managed to sit up on the disk without many problems.

"Thanks Volt you stunted the mana flow in time, or else the inferior might have been-"

"…I haven't stunted anything" someone walked around the analyser, probably Rak'Sai "The mana flow is still going as I set it. Lookie, lookie here"

The Desians around gasped "But… This amount of mana would paralyze even an _elf_!" Silence followed that surprised exclamation. Lloyd tilted his head; adults were so confusing at times. He went to stand up, but his head met the surface of the other disk above him.

The bulky, white fog waved slightly at Lloyd's trembling touch; then it snapped and spun, engulfing him one last time before being sucked in by the device brushing against his hair. At last, even the invisible barrier glowed and lowered back into the disk.

The human child's huge eyes met the scared looks of the scientists lingering in front of the analyser; one them reached out for Lloyd's cheek, now healed of the livid of the day before. The kid could clearly see a blue aura around her. She was the same half-elf he had kicked in the face little before.

"He… K025 managed to transform raw mana in…" she bit her tongue and retreated immediately in horror "He… He can't be human! Lord Rak'Sai, we need to re-run the mana scanning!"

The green-haired half-elf dismissed her words with a flick of his hand "Oh, shut _up_"

"_Lord Rak'Sai_" her sudden high-pitched tone startled Lloyd, who shrank further away from the group of half-elves "there's clearly a misreading in the scanning, we have to-"

"You're giving _me _orders-!" Rak'Sai yelled; the female scientist fell backward as he started chanting a spell, a black rune circle appearing below his feet. However, Cantabile knocked on the green-haired half-elf's head before he could finish casting. Rak'Sai narrowed his eyes at her from over his shoulder.

"Trisha" the elf shrugged her lord's glare off and approached the fallen Desian; she extended one arm for her to use as support. "There's no need to run another mana scanning. Lord Rak'Sai and I already ran it thrice, and I can assure you…" Trisha then grabbed her hand and stood up, re-adjusting her white robe on her shoulders. "He's human. His mana signature is human. Nothing else"

The scientist gaped at the elf, then at Lloyd. But he cringed even further at the Desians; abruptly, they were towering over him, a weird spark animating their eyes now that Rak'Sai's outburst was settled down.

"It's human but it has such impressive capabilities…" chills crawled over the child's skin. Were they… Were they going to make him suffer like before, or even more?

"Milord, can we dissect it? We _need _to understand what's going on with it!" a Desian grasped his neck and would have taken him off the disk if not for strings of yellow runes appearing on his arm.

"You're crazy!" Trisha shouted, and hit his ribcage with her elbow "Dissecting one of _Lord Kvar_'s children? You must be suicidal!"

The half-elf let go of Lloyd, grunting some curses. However, there was no other room the human child could have cowered himself in. He was small, he wasn't strong, and he was completely alone in a place where all these people wanted him to cry…

He hugged his knees tight to his chest. Where was that man? He wanted him back. Even if he lied about his daddy and mommy –at least, he didn't look at him like he was a toy everyone wanted to _break_.

"Break time, guys!" Lloyd gulped, but then there was Rak'Sai holding a tray full of pancakes and some mugs of coffee out of nowhere. His big grin was back as well as if nothing happened "Unless you want to keep working without having breakfast!"

The sweet, fresh smell of the food woke up the child's hunger as well. His stomach grumbled loudly, which caught only Cantabile's attention; the other Desians were too busy helping themselves to the dish. Rak'Sai dodged most of the hands reaching out for the pancakes and put the tray down on the only spot free from the random documents on the floor.

"Sa, everyone down here!" he yelled after sitting down on the pavement. The other Desians copied his motion, finding their personal chairs either on piles of scrapped folders or pieces of machinery. The child looked longingly at the fresh baked food; some drool dripped down his mouth, as it was hanging open in desire. That's when Cantabile casually offered her own pancake to him.

Lloyd snatched the pancake and basically shoved it whole in his mouth without even chewing. "No, not like that, little bird" the elf bent down and took the food out of Lloyd's mouth, but before he could protest she split the pancake in smaller bites.

The child gulped down the small bites eagerly, savouring the unknown sweetness of the food. It reminded him of the rare goodies his father would bring him from time to time; usually right before their time in their new home was up, and they needed to travel on the road for months.

Cantabile handed him more bits for him to eat until he felt too full to swallow anything else. At the same time, on the other hand, the other Desian scientists were up too. Lloyd frowned at them, bringing his legs closer to his chest to keep himself slightly more shielded from them.

Once again, the barrier around him glowed for an instant.

"Don't worry, inferior" Rak'Sai said. "We're just going to see how well your body copes when its mana is being sucked out of it"

Lloyd looked up, confusion well visible in his eyes; and this time, it was the disk above him that glowed first.

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, Lord Kvar's <em>_private quarters-_

The clock above his personal, immaculate bed showed how there were just a few minutes left to noon. The red light of the neon shined against the opposite wall as well; it was all the illumination he needed in his private quarters, aside from the faint glow of a small projector nestled next to the bed itself.

There wasn't space for anything else after all. He had work to do during the whole day, and he would have slept directly in his office if it hadn't been considered so lowly from everyone. Besides, that's exactly what Magnius would do: falling asleep in his office and on the documents he was struggling on to complete.

Kvar surely as hell didn't want to share _anything _with that _brute_ of a Cardinal. There were always parties and hangovers going on in his ranch, which explained very well why Magnius's ranch was the least productive of them all.

His ranch _wasn't _unproductive, his men _weren't _always drunk or partying, and he _wasn't _Magnius. Or Pronyma –dear Maxwell, Pronyma! Being the Leader of the Grand Cardinals made her forget how _she _hadcrawled countless times at _his _feet, begging for his forgiveness; her ranch had always been choke full of problems. Why did _she _get promoted and _he _got demoted?-. Or Rodyle –whom was more interested in _feeding_ and _raising_ his pet dragons than actually working. And that idiotic second in command of his –the last time he went to the Asgard Ranch, he fell asleep on the conveyor belt reserved for the exsphere awaiting the final treatment!-. Or Forcystus –at least, that _Desian Hero _wasn't as nut as… Something. The perfect comparison slipped from his mind.

He tapped his finger on the chin. He couldn't waste time over such trivial things; he had said he would have been out after noon to look for that _new religion_, and that's what he was going to do. Besides, it would have been better to go before his hands started aching again.

But as he grabbed his staff, the light on the projector increased; the device emitted some beeps as well. The numbers on the clock now said it was exactly noon. That green-haired bitch, always taking her sweet time and waiting for the last moment to do _anything_ and-

"_New e-mail from Kate, Sybak Academy –Tethe'Alla_" the machine buzzed right after Kvar turned it on. The screen automatically opened his private inbox as well, and asked him if he wanted to visualize the new message. He promptly clicked "_yes_".

_Dear Kvar,_

_your assumptions were correct: if it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't have managed to stabilize Presea's conditions so easily. I owe you a lot._

_I'm still really surprised I've never seen you anywhere here in Sybak. I've heard they've located another half-elf with impressive intellect, she's just nine! And yet you've managed to avoid the forces of the Sybak Academy for so long, I'm the only one who knows about you. Do you live in the mythical village of Exire, maybe?_

_We're moving to the next step of the whole operation; the Pope absolutely wants to create an army of humans capable of using magic. Honestly, I doubt we'll go anywhere with it, but orders are orders. Do YOU think there's any odds of success in this?_

_I hope to meet you in person, one day or another. Or at least to be able to repay for everything you've done for me._

_Love,_

_Kate_

"_An army of humans capable of using magic?_" the Grand Cardinal repeated, scrolling the e-mail back up in case he misread something. But he hadn't "Feh. Inferiors"

The e-mail included some additional schemes and data about Kate's squad's progress; she had been doing that since the first –and last- time he asked for extra information in order to focus on her projects better. Everything in her files was strictly ordered alphabetically and chronologically.

The data Kvar was mostly interested in was Presea's. According to her profile, she had been brought to Sybak and turned into a host body two years before, little after her 12th birthday. She hadn't aged or felt any emotion since she had been given the exsphere –common traits of the angel transformation.

Yet, the exsphere hadn't evolved any further than that: on the other side, her vital signals had been more erratic than ever. Kvar frowned at this; Presea wasn't subject A012, she was more similar to all those other failed host bodies who didn't manage to nurture a Cruxis Crystal inside them and eventually died, consumed by the parasitic gem.

If he was to tell Kate, though, she might have ended up imprisoned and beheaded for failing to carry out that delusional _human_'s plans. The same one whom created and supported all night and day those _disgusting_ and _inconceivable _and _pretentious _anti half-elves laws. May Niflheim devour his soul and the souls of any other _pathetic_ inferior being _forever_.

_Dear Kate,_

_you don't owe me absolutely anything. On the other side, it's quite the __pleasure for me to help a fellow half-elf and researcher. Now that the host body's conditions are stable, I believe the next step should be-_

He stopped writing and glanced at the numbers on the clock; they were past noon by now. Then Kvar smiled; he could afford to be late from time to time. Besides, he doubted his men were actually ready to go to Asgard yet.

And since he was in a _good mood_, they were going to get it off quite _easily_ –compared to the usual, at least.

* * *

><p><strong>-<strong>**Year 1, Day 4-**

_-Asgard Ranch, __Mana Laboratory-_

The human child shifted on the small pedestal that had been reserved for him in the past days. A pattern was starting to form into Lloyd's mind: some guards would pick him up early in the morning –really early, so early the Desians on shift hadn't had breakfast yet!-, then they'd guide him in the same laboratory. There, the white-clothed Desians would operate a machinery that forcefully sucked out or inserted mana in him for the whole day.

When they were in the right mood, he'd be given the remains of their breakfast, or lunch, or dinner in case they actually ate. They'd mostly keep them off him, though; they said he didn't deserve them because he was _human _and shouldn't have been able to manipulate mana, and they weren't even allowed to perform further experiments on him until they got the permission for it.

Right now, more scientists gave him dirty looks as the computers were re-elaborating the newly acquired data. He rubbed his eyes; however, that made them just itch and burn more than before, so he settled down for sniffing.

"Don't start crying again" it was the Desian scientist currently looking after him who spoke; all the others were around the Angelus Project. From his position, Lloyd could see them mounting the exsphere on a blade and whispering among each other, for some reasons.

The human child shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut. His stomach grumbled again; he was _hungry_. The Desian next to him, though, simply sit down on the floor and crossed his legs together. "I don't want to hear any of it" he said, sliding the gloves off his hands "You're not the only one who didn't get anything to eat today"

"But I'm _hungry_!" Lloyd pouted; he crossed his little arms on his chest and rubbed the exposed skin of his limbs "…And cold!"

"Complaining _won't_ bring you anywhere-!"

An immense, choking aura swept across the room; Lloyd hadn't even needed to focus his attention completely to sense the sudden eruption of mana, it just happened. The aura thickened, pressing his tiny, pale form firmly in place and making him sweat. Even breathing took a toll out of him, and it wasn't natural anymore.

All the Desians in the laboratory kneeled down at once, and kept their heads down toward the entrance. Immediately afterward, some cracks appeared on the door as it slid open.

The woman rapidly walked in; a staff adorned with metal rings, which clacked loudly against each other at the smallest movement of the owner, first caught Lloyd's attention. When he noticed the long pointy ears of the newcomers –they were roughly as long as Cantabile's, and the aura smelled similar as well, so she was an elf as well-, the oppressing mana vanished out of the blue.

"L-Lady Shiraska?" Trisha gasped; but she was ignored by the elf, as her attention was locked on the quivering human child. Her expression of curiosity swiftly changed to one of mild surprise, until it abruptly twisted into shock and surprise.

"But… This _child_-" she cried out alarmed. Lloyd squeaked out in surprise too and recoiled more until he fell directly into Cantabile's arms, like she had expected it and had been waiting for him beforehand.

"Subject test K025, Lady Shiraska" she shifted her arms, propping Lloyd better in her grip. She placed two fingers over his forehead, gathering mana on it. "It's human, milady, I can assure you. It doesn't have any trace of" She paused a little. "_Angelic_"Some scientists looked puzzled at how Cantabile stressed that word, but didn't speak as they raised on their feet and came back to the Angelus Project. "Blood in its body".

Lloyd yawned loudly as he felt his body relax and the surroundings steadily slow down; he gripped the elf's clothing, his eyes closing against his will. He snuggled closer to Cantabile's warm chest.

The two elves stared at each other, then Shiraska's eyes suddenly lighted up "I see. It's not… _Hereditary_, then?" Cantabile shook her head, and the general closed her eyes in contemplation "…Good job"

On the other side of the room, Rak'Sai let out his breath in relief. He had long stood up, but Cantabile had handled the general on her own so he had sit on the printer again. He eyed it as it was printing the report below him; and yet, he kept on glancing worried at Shiraska's direction from time to time, but the elf had taken a seat next to Cantabile and didn't budge from her position. She was visibly completely fixated on the sleeping human pup.

In the end, the computer finished ejecting the whole thing on the floor. "Ah, Lady Shiraska!" he leaped off the precarious top of the printer he used as chair and singled out the papers from the pavement.

"We've nearly completed the entire analysis of the Angelus Project" he handed over the printed schemes and registered data; the elf accepted them numbly as something was still clicking in her head. "But there's something else about it that the computer didn't pick up"

Rak'Sai stopped momentarily to let the information sink in; however, Shiraska cut the silence much earlier than he expected, as his face fell when she said: "And that is?"

"The exsphere and the inferior are actually _bonded _together" Rak'Sai discarded some of the papers from Shiraska's weak grip and thrust the remaining ones on the general's face. "Down here" His finger trailed down the numbers until their value suddenly sky rocketed.

"I've had my squad repeat the mana storage capability test over, and…" Rak'Sai pointed at other parts of the documents, in which both the values of the Angelus Project and Lloyd were abnormally high when compared to the rest. "When K025 and the Angelus exsphere were being tested at the same moment, both their properties dramatically increased"

Then he threw those papers behind. "On the other side, the tests ran fairly normal when one of them was absent" The new batch of numbers presented to Shiraska were way lower than the previous examples, but they had a more regular progress. "It's the first case of Mana tunneling I've ever seen between a living being and an exsphere"

"Excellent" The general nodded. She picked up a different folder from the mass of papers, which was labelled "Angelus Project", and flipped through the pages. "Are these all the special properties of the Angelus exsphere?"

Rak'Sai staggered a little; his eyes darted to his left instead of facing Shiraska directly "W-well… As I said, we're _almost _finished, not completely finished, b-but-"

"…I see. I give you a week to complete the analysis" Shiraska passed the folder back to the green-haired half-elf, then glared at him "I want the report to be _ready _for Lord Kvar's return, understood?"

Shiraska was shorter than Rak'Sai, and yet the half-elf writhed under the force of her stare "U-understood, Lady Shiraska…"

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, <em>_Mana Laboratory-_

Lloyd stirred faintly from his sleep. It was the prickly scent of the sheets that woke him up again; he gagged, trying to spit out the unpleasant flavour.

The soft humming of the machines that had accompanied the past days had disappeared. There was no one in his immediate vicinity as well: Cantabile had put a plate down on the pedestal previously used for the blue exsphere, while the green-haired half-elf was typing something at another computer, not even bothering to sit down. Except for them, the laboratory was empty.

"Peace, _at last_!" Rak'Sai contentedly threw his arms over his head, stretching his back in the process "You know what we need since Lord Kvar's away, Cantabile?"

The elf just shrugged, and kept on lining some eggos up on the tray; in the bucket next to her there were some of those sweets covered by a slimy, green layer.

"A party!" the green-haired half-elf slammed his fist on his other open hand "Last time we had one with him _around _he tried to electrocution everyone while screaming for us to get back to work! Volt knows how much we need some more _distractions _in this cursed ranch!"

"Honestly, you _did _throw his bed out in the courtyard and crush some whipmasters with it" The elf squeezed a small bottle, pouring a yellow substance over the food. "It's a miracle you're still alive and working"

"How about good old Gideon, uh? He and his incredible fireworks-"

"Which granted him a nice new grave and an early death"

The half-elf then removed his coat and let it drop over Lloyd; the human child wept for a few seconds due to the sudden darkness before crawling out from under the clothing. "Keep it" Rak'Sai knocked slightly on the child's forehead "Those prisoner clothes don't keep you warm, do they?"

Now that he was talking about it, Lloyd shivered from the chilly air out of the blue. He hugged the black coat tighter, and eventually let it rest on his shoulders and head. The half-elf and Cantabile smiled.

"But…" Lloyd fidgeted a little, not able to look at both of them in the eyes "But you're evil… Daddy and mommy always say you're evil. Where are daddy and mommy?"

The elf simply grabbed one of the eggo from the plate; she walked over the boy and shoved it under his nose. "Mommy and daddy aren't here, little bird" She looked down at the human pup, whom squeezed the food hesitantly. "Your mother is gone forever. Your father won't come back for you"

"Liar!" Lloyd waved his tiny fists at both the Desians. Rak'Sai burst out laughing at the display, nudging Cantabile with the elbow and whispering how the inferior looked too cute to be taken seriously. "Daddy will come back and punish you all because you're the bad guys and he fights bad guys! He's too strong for you!"

"We're not lying, K025" Rak'Sai leaned on the nearest computer as he spoke; there was a portable meter in his hands now, and he was mindlessly stretching it. "Your mommy is dead. D-e-a-d. Your father abandoned you"

"LIAR!"

The green-haired half-elf let the meter snap back into its place. "Unwritten rule #1, K025. _Don't insult the person who owns your life_" Rak'Sai then unrolled the measuring device once again as he approached the cot with a smirk on his face. "Now stand still, or I'll have to punish you"

Lloyd's hateful glare didn't falter; he was strong. He was going to be as strong as daddy and promised not to cry anymore in front of the bad guys. He was going to take him back with mommy, and he didn't want him to see him cry ever again.

* * *

><p><em>Cadell's part was added in the end<em>_: since Kvar lied to Pronyma about the Angelus Project, what's stopping that Desian FC from spilling the beans?_

…_Well._

_In case you noticed, the nine years old half-elf Kate is talking about is Raine. __I had some troubles tracking down the recent past of the characters, and I'm not sure I've actually gotten the right data. _

_Presea apparently became a host body for the Angelus Project 16 years before the game begins__; since Lloyd lost his mother at the age of 3, the age difference between Raine and Genis is 11 years… Yeah _ our two beloved half-elves should arrive on Sylvarant when Lloyd's 5._

_At least, Presea is the (still) living proof that bearers of the Angelus Project don't die as soon as the other host bodies do –seriously, the first time I heard of Anna's escape and transformation into an Exebula made me go like "The HELL? How did she survive THIS long without a keycrest?"._

_Then again, most other ranch prisoners fall victim of some kind of spell if they escape from the ranches… That could have been implemented AFTER, though._

…_The only part I really like is the one from Kvar's point of view. Too bad it's so short._

_Thank you all for reading!_


	4. Chapter 4

_First chapter of Beyond AbsentMinded is up as well! Finally._

_Also, thank you all for the reviews and your wishes to see this story going on! It means a lot for me :)_

_**Disclaimer: **I do not own Tales of Symphonia and the characters which appeared in the game, and I do not earn any money from this story._

* * *

><p>[D. Roy –reports-]<p>

- file#004

[…]

[…]

[…]

-connected-

* * *

><p><strong>-Year 1, Day 12-<strong>

_-Asgard Ranch, Prisons-_

"Now, open your mouth"

Lloyd stared at the spoon, soup dripping off it; then he turned to see the plastic plate, still full of soup as well. He pouted and shook his head, sticking his tongue out as well. "No, it stinks!"

"No it doesn't, inferior!" the whipmaster placed the spoon back in the bowl. He sniffed for some seconds, then he leaned over the soup more; he immediately flinched and sat back while plugging his nose with two fingers. Lloyd's frown deepened, so the whipmaster shouted; "I' sdill doesn'!"

"Stinky!" the child pointed at the soldier's face, "It's stinky stinky stinky stinky stinkystinkystinky-!"

"It's NOT!"

The toddler raised a finger at him and stuck his tongue out one last time, "And you're meany!"

The Desian wrapped his hand around the hilt of the whip, ready to strike the toddler at any second-

"Ehi Roman!" Another whipmaster popped in the open cell; both his hands were busy with a large cest, full of burnt paper and broken glass. "What are you doing there, give us a hand! We've gotta remove all the proof of the party before our Lord comes back!"

"What? Lord Kvar should come back next week-"

"He's already on his way back here!"

"Wha- Shit!" Roman dropped the whip on the floor in fright. "I can't move from here! I have to guard K025, and the other guys are gone too!"

The two then started bickering with each other in front of their forgotten ward; at a certain point, Lloyd had taken a silly joy in pouring the smelly soup on the floor, since no one was seeing him despite them being right there.

It went on for a while before a fourth person entered the cell. Her choice of uniform was so weird it stopped the conversation solely with its presence. The woman -she had two differently coloured eyes, one was pink and the other was blue- was covered from head to toe in a single cloak, which top resembled a cow's muzzle. It was also completely pink with blue spots, instead of being in natural white and black.

"Don't worry," she tilted her head and smiled nicely; "I'll pick it up from here. Go clean the hall with the others."

The guards stepped aside, letting her grab Lloyd. He kicked her hands and screeched so she'd let him go, which didn't happen until she exited the prison hall. Then, she immediately pushed him on the ground and murmured only two words:

"Follow me."

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, "The Zoo"-<em>

As Lloyd kept on following that weird looking Desian –his feet were hurting again, since the cold floor would burn his unprotected skin at any step-, less and less half-elves and prisoners could be seen around them. The air was filled only by the ominous buzzing of the neon lights and the humming of the woman.

"Are we there y-yet?" the child asked as he suppressed new tears of pain, born from the incessant stings that were plaguing his lower limbs.

Instead of answering him, the woman merely increased her humming. The toddler could pull on the pink cow-shaped coat, yet her biggest reaction was yanking the clothing away from his grip without regarding him of a scolding or an evil eye.

"S-shoes…" he whispered as a plead. He stopped dead in his track, not bearing to move another step onward. "I want shoes…"

"Shush," the half-elf's sudden statement made Lloyd jump. "We're nearly there anyway. Stop giving me a migraine."

The woman's voice made it clear she wouldn't have tolerated any more complain or question or noise coming from his mouth. He nodded jerkily despite how the other was giving him her back, thus she wouldn't have been able to see his answer.

Lady Posca, that's how that other Desian had called her. Was she going to be one of his new guards? He hadn't seen the first four since that Shi-something elf checked the experiments in the laboratory. There had been different people every night watching him from that day.

Finally, Posca stopped walking –the toddler nearly toppled over her cow-shaped coat as he was keeping his eyes firmly on the floor. With a soft slurping noise, the wall in front of the Desian moved apart to reveal a hidden, circular door seemingly made of metal. Posca leaned forward a little as a device scanned both her retinas.

High-pitched screams of joy exploded the same second the door opened; a swarm of children of both genders and various ages circled the cow-shaped cape wearing Desian. The youngest ones clung on the showy piece of clothing, still yelling: "Lady Posca! Lady Posca! Lady Posca!"

However, they immediately shut up and stopped jumping all over the place when the Desian called Posca raised her hand. "My dear children!" she exclaimed enthusiastically, making some of the present children squeak with equal emotion. "Your father has brought another precious son in your ever-growing family! Show him his new life!"

They hadn't even stopped shouting their consent that Lloyd was being already dragged in the room, tens of hands tugging and pulling on his miserable rags. Their shrieking voices were drilling his ears so much he couldn't even hear the door closing loudly behind him, locking the whole group in a spacious hallway.

"This way! This way!" they trotted him down the corridor, their figures mercifully covering him from the sight of the walls; they were richly decorated with pastel colours and depicted continuous scenes with many animals and smiling suns.

Lloyd was soon led to another, spacious room; as always there were no windows, but the light was so bright it might very well has come from the outside, when the sun was at its zenith. Big cushions of all the colours –which looked generally way bigger than Lloyd was- were strewn across the floor, along with sheets, dolls, pelouches, crayons and blank papers and books; miswritten words and sentences adorned the pavement and the walls.

What _really_ caught Lloyd's attention was the apparent absence of any Desian soldier; with the exception of the cow-shaped cape-wearing woman, whom had just locked the only exit to the outside, all those kids and boys were left to themselves. Some of them looked at the newcomer and whispered excited among themselves, but a sudden silence had descended on the whole group. It was like they were undecided what to do with the new toddler.

The first one who approached Lloyd was a small girl; she smoothed the plain, brown dress and pulled some of the locks behind her ears. "Hello! I'm K013! I hope we can get along!" She smiled, but it didn't matter how wide her mouth was as the expression didn't reach her eyes; those green irises looked forward and past him.

"K013?" Lloyd repeated, shaking the small hand of the girl. A green gem was barely visible under the edge of her clothing.

"Yes! It's my name. We all have similar names! We're all brothers and sisters here!" She spun around as she indicated the other presents wearing similar prisoner outfits. "After all we all have the same dad! Don't we?"

The human child shuddered at the boys and girls' vacant smiles. "Yes, we do!" they droned all together. Then one grabbed Lloyd's arm, pulling him closer. "I'm K007!" there was some more enthusiasm in his voice, yet his eyes were as empty as the others'. Lloyd stumbled backward at the sight of his yellow rotten teeth, short black hair sticking to a very sweaty, red and wrinkled face. The smell that hit the child as the other opened his mouth didn't help.

"I'm K019!" Another arm appeared from nowhere to drag him away from K007; turning around, Lloyd saw a boy visibly older than all the other people in the room. Still, the visible skin under his hanging clothes looked cracked, and his ribs were starting to show. "You'll be alright here!" he exclaimed and pointed at himself, "If anyone tries to give you troubles, just tell me!"

"Yeah, K019 watches over all of us with Lady Posca!" another kid remarked and pointed at a camera, which was carefully scanning the whole place from above their heads. "Nothing bad ever happens here, because dad won't allow it!"

The other children were eager to shake his hands and announce their names to little Lloyd. However, despite there couldn't be more than twenty people, the toddler was already having problems at remembering their numbers. They were indeed all called in a similar fashion -K006, K015, K001, K024…

The crazy half-elf had said his new name was K025, and that somewhat made them all brothers and sisters. He _had_ wished to have some friends or siblings, but this…

He chose one of the big pillow -a red one- and hugged it from behind to keep the other children away from him. He didn't like their eyes, their vests, the collars… Just because he had been appointed a similar number and the same clothing didn't create any connection.

Equally baffling was their talking about having the same father. As far as Lloyd knew, he had only one father who loved him. It didn't matter that man said the contrary -daddy was a nice person and wanted him, just like mommy.

The man was a liar. Daddy would come for him. Lloyd repeated this to himself thousand times as he snuggled further in the in the soft cushion.

* * *

><p><em>-Asgard Ranch, Lord Kvar's office-<em>

The doors still hadn't closed properly when the Grand Cardinal was already sitting down behind his desk at the other extremity of the room. His staff laid forgotten on the floor –his grip on it had failed when his hands twitched in pain, since the effects of the medicine had ultimately worn out.

He noticed he had let it go when he turned the projector on –the half-elf groaned inwardly, torn between the compulsion to pick his staff up and the need to put the system of the ranch under strict control and keep up on whatever happened during his absence.

Kvar gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay focused on the screen in front of him. It was annoying to type with hands twitching on their own, but he could manage.

What he couldn't manage was how Mobius was _still __**offline**__!_ He had given orders to have the ranch's sentient A.I. up within the day he had left to complete Cruxis's ridiculous mission! And so, he was also without all the data that Mobius could have provided him after his forced absence.

… However, according to a report written by the technical team appointed to Mobius's care, the A.I. _had_ been turned online briefly before his forced departure. According to them, everything was all green and online.

He groaned. Yet another department to dismantle and re-assemble, hoping the next operators won't be as or more stupid than their predecessors. Nevertheless, as he thought so, another possibility made its way in his mind. What if it was _another_ force purposely shutting down his system? After all, the A.I. Mobius wasn't regular –on the contrary, it was built exactly to go against Cruxis in case he needed to branch out of their influence.

If Cruxis had come to know about it, their reactions would have been more visible and violent. No, everything that was left was an intervention coming from the _inside_.

The half-elf leaned back fully in the chair and slowly massaged his own temples. _Breathe_. _Breathe_. No need to waste further energy and time just to give in his –of course, totally rightful- wrath. He needed the office and all the machines and documents in it perfectly _fine_ and _working_.

And so, ultimately managing to flatten his external expression and his internal emotions, he first sent a signal to his three Generals on an urgent meeting that was going to take place in his office like _right now_.

The second, urgent matter to complete was sorting reports and messages coming from within his ranch and separating them from those of the outside –and all the spam publicity from Tethe'Alla. _Mobius_ would have sorted all that if it had been online, and now he was forced to do it _manually_.

Though, right after sneering at an announcement of a new beauty resort inaugurated by the Lezareno Company, his eyes froze upon an e-mail sent by Kate. Its date was the day after he left the ranch for that blasted Cruxis mission –when he couldn't check his inbox except for the really urgent messages.

_Dear Kvar,_

_of course I'd like to help you! There are many half-elves who are deported in this academy as babies, and I got to aid them along with my companions. The most important thing is making them feel at home and safe; Martel knows how many of them are absolutely frightened the first times they're suddenly transferred to a new homeplace._

_He needs attention and respect: children don't like to be treated less because of their age. Some details must be left out –but usually, when they ask something, reply as truthfully as possible. Be present, and if he has troubles learning something try telling him a story related to what you want him to learn!_

_Unfortunately, I've never heard of this Aionis you're talking about. So if that's the ONLY way humans can obtain magic abilities… I don't want to be there when the Pope gets to know about it. We'll work some more, and if there's truly no other way, we'll have to face the music._

_Don't get it wrong, I trust you're telling me the truth. But I can't just tell the Pope about a mineral, which doesn't even appear in the archives we have here, out of nowhere like this. I need to back it up with some studies –have you got more information about it? _

_I'm more than sure now that you live in Exire. There's no other explanation; and I'm sorry, thank you for your offer but I can't take it. I can't leave this Academy… I can't and I don't want to. Not now that I'm useful for him._

_I'll send some files containing our memories about raising the half-elven children here. Hope they'll help as well._

_Love,_

_Kate_

That wasn't the only new message from her: as the Grand Cardinal scrolled up a little ignoring other spam messages from various Tethe'Allan's sites, he could see another mail from the researcher. It was way shorter than the first and without any attached file.

_Dear Kvar,_

_I know it's useless to write this e-mail as of right now, but I hope you're doing alright there. I've been checking my inbox for the whole last week and I've seen you haven't even gotten around to read it._

_I'm sure it's not because you've been captured by the Church's militia –or else I'd have seen you already here._

_Whatever happened, I hope you've come out alright and fine. I'll pray the Goddess Martel for your safety._

_Love,_

_Kate_

Kvar laid back on the chair, unconsciously rubbing his chin. His eyes darted over the text as his mind burned random bits of it in his memory.

That mail felt very different from the usual, formal and hypocritical omens the Grand Cardinal had received through his whole life. After all, a half-elven researcher of Tethe'Alla who had even _refused_ his offer to leave the life-sentence she had been condemned to could have nothing to gain from praising him that much. It was bizarre at best.

The half-elf smirked; that woman was smart, a talented workaholic and humble scientist that was spontaneously carrying on his Angelus Project outside of Cruxis' nosy attention, all without pretending something absurd back. On the other side, she was treating him as a person, or even as a _friend_.

As he placed his fingers on the keyboard to write a reply, Kvar mentally scolded himself: he was losing patience exactly when he was going to need it the most. Even if she thought of him as a friend, so _what_? Kate was like a beautiful yet blank book that could contain everything, and was merely waiting for someone to write in it. But the second he rushed everything, the paper would tear under his pen.

She was going to leave that pitiful academy built by inferior beings and start working under his command; he just needed to wait a little more. He could cope with that.

_Dear Kate,_

_I'm sorry for making you worry so much about my wellbeing. Unfortunately, I had a setback that required my presence elsewhere, and I had no word on the matter._

_It may be possible I'll have to leave again relatively soon, so I might miss your next mail as well. You shouldn't panic over it –even though I appreciate you directed your prayers for me to come back home without problems._

_I've included all my notes about the Aionis, but keep in mind that they're very scarce. Unfortunately, I fear only the elves of Heimdall have any knowledge about its location-_

"Aaron, I'd be pleased if you stopped looking at what I'm writing."

The human General whistled innocently and circled the desk, finally sitting back in front of the table. When the Grand Cardinal looked over his screen better, though, he noticed all his three Generals were actually there and silently waiting for him.

Another nice surprise was finding his staff neatly leaned on the desk next to him. Aaron's work, surely –other Desians didn't dare to walk on the other side of that table when a meeting was in session.

Oh well, Kate had waited for more than a week, she could wait for a few more minutes. For all he knew she may have not been currently checking for a new answer every ten seconds.

He moved aside the screen with the reply on before speaking, "Thank you all for answering my request _immediately_," neither of them flinched at the way he hissed the last word out, even though Shiraska sat a little straighter. "I trust you _already_ know why you're here."

Aaron and the half-elf sitting next to him looked at each other; the fellow half-blood General then elbowed the other in the ribs, effectively cutting out whatever strangled message Aaron was going to relay, and spoke out loud, "Is it about Kratos's offspring?"

"The offspring of w-"

The half-elf General slapped his hand over Aaron's mouth before he could finish talking. Kvar rolled his eyes at such _childish_ spectacle; he'd have had them tortured if it hadn't been a constant in their antics for years, no matter what he did. So he just cleared his voice and answered, "Yes, and not only th-"

"Lady Pronyma as well, milord?" The Grand Cardinal's fingers twitched at Shiraska's voice; Aaron and the half-elf General caught on it immediately as Kvar kept on looking forward, not turning around to acknowledge the only elf in the room. Even when they moved their chairs a little further away from Shiraska's, the elf kept on talking;"Despite your worries, our gracious Leader hasn't stepped within the perimeter of your ranch. Nevertheless, she did dispatch a request to lower our security so she could arrive safely a week ago."

Kvar's glare could have tore holes in the sturdiest material existent. If that didn't the trick, the electric mana dangerously swirling around him could do the job. "…Have I granted you permission to _interrupt_ me, Shiraska?" he hissed, contempt clear in his voice.

"Ah…" The elven General bowed her head hastily, making the numerous ornaments on her head clatter against each other. "Forgive me, milord."

She didn't even wince as Kvar spat a low insult at her, nor the other two Generals seemed to mind the display at all. Aaron even stretched his back as he was waiting for the cold silence to end.

"This is an official meeting, General Aaron," the Grand Cardindal promptly scolded him. "_Manners!_"

The human general quickly muttered a soft, insincere, "I'm sorry!"

"Yes, this is also about _Lord Aurion_'s offspring, in a way," Kvar continued once his Generals relaxed again on their chairs; "Shiraska! Why did it take so much time to transfer the boy under Posca's care with the other lab rats? I had given order to effectuate the change immediately!"

The elf bowed her head and replied; "Milord, Head Captain Rak'Sai and his researchers had many problems with both…K025..." she gave the Grand Cardinal a pointed look, but didn't comment further on it; "And the Angelus Project. The Analysis had been only recently completed, as Head Captain Rak'Sai's report states. Shall I believe you haven't received it, milord?"

Kvar had received it indeed, the date said it had been resting in his inbox since the day before. But this meeting was more urgent -and so were Kate's mails.

"I have received it without problems, and I understand your point." The Grand Cardinal also replied with a nod. "Lucius!" He barked to the half-elf sitting in the middle chair. "Is it true neither Lady Pronyma nor any other Grand Cardinal or Cruxian agents entered my ranch during my absence?"

Lucius's eyes lighted up; "Yes milord! None of their filth had the guts for that! I have made sure of it myself as _someone_ kept on trying to deactivate Mobius." As he said that, he slowly turned his head to look infuriated at Shiraska. The latter didn't react at all.

"However, _Lord_ Forcystus had sent a call nearly everyday after your departure, milord. It's getting on every technician's nerves, they told him _you_ would have called him back when you could, and he kept disregarding their words!" Lucius gripped both the armchairs tightly and nearly ripping the patterned cloth off them. "How dares he! My men! How dares he to harass my men! Desian Hero my-!"

Recruiting Lucius had been a stroke of genius, even only for how he had _less than favourable_ opinions on the other Grand Cardinals. Kvar only had to throw a bait and he'd have the capacity of ranting for _hours_ and _hours_, lifting his mood incredibly. He already had to fight a smile off his face while listening to the General.

"I shall make contact with him after this meeting, Lucius. If he keeps on pestering anyone, come and tell me."

Then Aaron cut off Lucius's minute of happiness; "Am I supposed to arrange an assault on Luin's outskirts or something?"

Shiraska seemed outraged at the stupidly flat question and wanted to intercede on his behalf, except that Kvar spoke first; but not before muttering how he needed to teach a certain elf when she could speak and when she couldn't.

"If Forcystus wants to ask me what I think, you should order any of your captains or sergeant to storm Monat and seize as many resources as they can. Whether they're tools or medicines or weapons -I want them to be completely stripped of their assets. Does anyone of you have anything to add or any other question?"

Kvar waited one minute before judging the Generals had nothing urgent he couldn't find on their files. "Very well," he turned on another computer and briefly glanced at the new screen. "Shiraska, make sure those dunderheads destroy any evidence K025 is still alive. He died soon after being brought here, and everyone else better remember it."

"Aaron, you already know what you have to do. Lucius, leave Mobius alone -I'll take care of it-, and reinforce defences everywhere. Place some spies in the colonies, _they_ may try to climb up in the ranch from there." Kvar waved a hand in the direction of the door. "You're all dismissed."

When they finally left the office, the Grand Cardinal secured the door firmly closed so no one but him could exit or enter the place at will. He wasn't going to speak with the likes of Pronyma, but _noble_, _beloved_ and _righteous_ Forcystus. He could already feel a migraine coming up.

The second screen he had switched on soon enlarged to project the entire figure of the green-haired half-elf. Even sooner than he wanted, Forcystus answered his contact, thus forcing him to face what seemed to be a very angry guy.

"Oh, good afternoon Forcystus." Kvar greeted with falsely delighted voice. "What is the important matter that required this call?"

"My _men_, Kvar!" The other Grand Cardinal shouted. In that aspect, Forcystus and Lucius were very similar -but the green-haired Grand Cardinal _wasn't_ on his side. "It may be nothing for you, but not for me!"

Kvar had troubles squashing an involuntary sigh. He decided it was better to get on with it quickly "…I see. Ever the loving father to your soldiers. Very well, what do you want from me?"

"I want _compensation_ for what happened to my ranch and my men! _My_ soldiers fought and died for your sake, but I haven't heard a single thing from you in the last days. Other than how you treated my _injured people_!"

Like it was _his_ problem Forcystus's injured men were all over the place and hindering his passage -in Kvar's opinion. The structure of that ranch was a disaster, he was amazed the Desian Hero hadn't noticed what kind of mess sprung up when they hit a nasty obstacle.

"So, what kind of compensation do you want?" was Kvar's annoyed question. He narrowed his eyes: Forcystus was trying to "get him off his high horse", if he recalled the sentence correctly.

The alternative would have been waiting in obstinate silence until the _poor_ and _hurt_ Grand Cardinal gave up and talked, but it could take _hours_ for all Kvar knew. He didn't have the luxury to waste so much time.

That irritant smile of Forcystus came back in full force."I want a complete coverage of all the damages sustained by the ranch, a complete restock of all the medicaments, life bottles, gels and refreshers used to heal the survivors-"

Kvar quietly raised an eyebrow: restocking medicaments on another person's behalf wasn't a standard request.

"-A _formal apology_ by _you_, personally, in my ranch and to all my soldiers-"

Thanks Maxwell he had sent his Generals away. Still, it wasn't going to save him from public humiliation at Forcystus's ranch. Either the one-eyed bastard protected his back very well, or everyone's favourite hero was going to face a precocious death.

"-It will be the last time for you to see my ranch for years, because I'm _banning_ you from my territory afterward. Step in my reign, and you _will_ be treated as an enemy who has to be _**taken down**_." These last words were spat with a hatred the fellow Grand Cardinal has never heard before from Forcystus –something he'd expect more from _Lord_ Yggdrasill or Magnius.

"…"

Kvar took a long, deep breath in, standing straighter in front of Forcystus's projected furious image. _He had needed_ to, or else his knees might have given in under his weight. The _Desian Hero_ had no reason to know that nor he had the privilege to see him cracking underneath his impassable mask.

If his mental calculations were right, only replacing the wasted medicines would have taken a good part of his budget planned for the month; rebuilding everything that _waste_ of a human _destroyed_ in the battle would have sucked half of his personal annual funds dry. Whoever had come up with that _Judgement_ spell had to be hanged.

But he could have still managed it -specially if Aaron's captain came back with a rich loot. He had been ready for such situation ever since A012 escaped with the help of the well-known _War God_-

"Kvar, I'm waiting for your _answer_."

The older Grand Cardinal sighed in aggravation; if just he wasn't speaking with the universally loved Desian Hero…! "_Fine!_" he shouted a bit too loudly. "I'll provide complete coverage for all the damages caused by Lord Kratos, _and_…" The blonde half-elf looked away, narrowing his eyes and not believing what he was going to say, "I'll apologize to your soldiers for the way I've treated them."

He took great care to mouth the last sentence as quietly as possible.

Ultimately, Forcystus's shoulders began to relax. "Good," he even had the nerve to _smile_; "I hope this will teach you to have more humility if there ever is a next time. You're not the sole Grand Cardinal and you're certainly _not_ the most important one."

The connection was severed before giving the half-elf any chance of rebutting that statement. It left him staring with wide eyes at the inactive screen, the effects of the last insult and humiliation slowly creeping on his face in the form of a deep frown and an ugly sneer.

Oh, it was so not going to end like that. He'd take it by heart and _remember_ until he was ready.

Outside, the assigned guards and soldiers on duty screamed orders left and right as the sudden storm washed over the ranch. Everyone's screams, even the desperate prisoners', were drowned in the endless and roaring thunders. The younger Desians cursed whoever had just angered Grand Cardinal Kvar so much.

* * *

><p><em>-Iselia Ranch, Private Official Quarters -<em>

Cadell hurriedly took a seat in front of her personal projector that had been installed just recently; the automatic system had told she had supposedly received an urgent call from the Asgard ranch. And the words "Asgard ranch" were automatically translated into "_Troubles_" in her mind.

The actual possibilities the caller was Kvar were inexistent. First because they would have specifically told her upon being called, and second because no Grand Cardinal would call a measly Lieutenant through projectors. Still, she was having problems in keeping her mind from going numb from shock-

A soft, almost emotionless voice ringed quietly in front of her. "Ah, Cadell, you're here."

"Cantabile!" Cadell clapped her hands together, her face glowing in happiness as soon as she recognized her caller. "I-it has been so much time! How are you? I hope Lord Rak'Sai isn't giving you any problems! Anything new over the-"

She froze during her speech at the sight of Cantabile holding up her hand, signing her to shush. "I'm sorry Cadell, but there are more urgent questions I have to make you first."

"But that sucks!" the lieutenant shouted after she instinctively stood up. Her previously loving eyes suddenly held fire in them. "Now that you called-"

"It's… Important. Please Cadell, it won't take long."

The pink-haired half-elf huffed and flopped on the chair, making it crack under her sudden weight. She pouted as well as she asked: "Alright, what's going on?"

"It's about what happened back at the Iselia ranch when our Lord Seraphim attacked," Cantabile looked up from her scarce notes as if in recent realization. "Are you alright after…?"

"Ssssssh!" Cadell waved her right hand in front of her nose; she rolled her eyes. "That snake-eyed f****r would skin me aliv- Wait, how do you know about it?"

"I had to _dig a little_," the half-elf tilted her head, confusion plastered clearly on her face. "No, I didn't have permission, but anyway. According to what I've gathered, A012 and K025 had fallen off the cliff. What made you go down there?"

The lieutenant made a point of looking elsewhere _but_ in Cantabile's direction at that. Given the way she mumbled to herself, she was probably considering carefully whether to tell the truth or not. Cantabile sighed quietly.

When she deemed the room deprived of other living beings safe enough, the half-elf leaned closer and whispered, full of shame: "Uhmmm, promise me to not mock me for it?"

"Should I begin to fear for the worst?"

"Weeeeeeeeeeeeeell…" Then she looked up at the older elf resolute and set on ignoring her warm face. "Actually it was really freaky! Before Lord Aurion even arrived, there was this kiddy boy who had appeared out of nowhere! He then told me that A012 and the Angelus Project would have fallen off the cliff during the battle, and if no one got there in time, the Angelus Project would have gotten lost!"

The elf probably blinked so fast she couldn't really see anything anymore –except that it was merely speculation, since her hair covered half of her face perfectly. Only Cadell had ever seen what was under that obstacle.

"…So you leaped off a cliff?" There was a slight surprise in Cantabile's otherwise calm voice.

"He disappeared the second I looked away!" Cadell insisted as she flailed her fists on front of her; her cheeks were red due to her growing embarrassment. "And when A012 did fall, I… I didn't even think about it, and just jumped as well! And the Angelus Project and that inferior were down there, exactly like that boy told me!"

The elf jerked her chin upwards. "Could you give me a description of this "kiddy boy"?"

Cadell clapped her hands, joy radiating from her eyes. "Of course," her previously cheerful expression twisted as she concentrated further on her memories. "Uhmm, he was a little shorter than me, a really young-looking half-elf… At least, I think he's a half-elf, his mana was all weird. He wore a white cape and shirt, aaaaaaaaaaand –oh yeah, blonde shoulder-length hair and blue eyes, and let me think what else…"

* * *

><p><em>Yay, I can start skipping the useless parts now that the general background is covered. I hope this will speed up the story a little, it's becoming a little tedious in my opinion. One clarification, the scene in Kvar's office happens some time after the one in the "Zoo".<em>

_I'm also way behind the various Desians' references –maybe I should edit chapters and add deeper descriptions. Is there a way to describe the physical appearance of a character without boring readers out of their mind?_

_If you have any question on the story, don't hesitate to ask me! I'll answer anything that doesn't cover spoilers, and such questions will be covered only after crossing that road._

_Thank you for reading!_


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